St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-02
FRANKLIN J. MOSES.

FRANKLIN J. MOSES.
"reminiscences of a Brilliant Life Wrecked
on the Sea of Corrupt Politics.
Franklin J. Moses has emerged from the
Massachusetts penitentiary owing to the par
don of Governor Ames, but his deliverance
will be but brief for he escapes the prison
cell only to enter the tomb. He is not an
old man, but the excuses of earlier years
| have already set period to his life. There
will not be many mourners at his tomb.
| Few will regret the death OF man
who began life with q wealth of
opportunity equaled only by the reckless
disregard with which it was squandered, to-
gether with character, friends and honor
Less than thirty years ago Moses, then boy
of eighteen, had already tasted the full al
lotment of wholesome pleasure. His father
was alawyer-planter of wealth and high So
cial position, whose family seat was at Sum-
ter, S. G. Every house in that aristocratic
nelghbOrhOOd was open to him from one of
The richest he chose for his wife the faire>t,
and, as events proved, the best of Southern
bellies.
When Governor Pickens was elected chief
executive of South Carolina he paid
political debt to the elder Moses by APP
pointing Frank his private secretary. The
youth here found his natural element. He
was quick, magnetic, polite, forceful. In
his new position he speedily became a power
throughout the whole State. Here he was
when Sumter feH and of all the hot-headed
youth of the South young Moses was the
loudest in his exultation over this event.
He rushed not to the front, but as con-
script officer, enforcing the draft against his
formS Eiends. Thus he lost all the popu-
larity 'ad enjoyed in the South. The
people had loved and admired him
hatef' NV, and when he emerged from
the war ruined, pounced upon him with all
the malignity of resentment. His creditors
denounced him, but in vain, for he was
pauper.
a pauper, but not daunted or without re-
sour.t. Straightway Moses was in the
Union camp drawing Federal rations for his
family; selling some of them, it is even said,
to his more honorable but less thrifty neigh
bors He feathered his nest and grew in
the Sumter district. Here began his infamous
career of spoil. His father was called to
practice before him, and the two hawked
and peddled the honor of the court on equal
shares. The younger Moses addressed him
self to the Cancellation of the negroes, so
that when the Fifteenth Amendment was
passed he stood in position to com
mand the new suffrages. At the South Car
DINA Republican convention, in 1867, he so
adroitlv handled his new forces that he at
once ..nped to the position of leader of his
party in the State. Upon his own suggestion
he was elected adjutant, inspector general
and member of the Legislature. From this
point his advancement was very rapid, both
in power and the profuseness of his corrup-
ton. he had absolute power to block or
promote legislation, and in selling that
power he had no shame. Anything that is
worth possessing is worth paying for-that
was his motto He threw off all reserve.
and proclaimed that the machine must be
u,led else it would bring forth no grist.
Great sums thus came to his hands, but
they never mounted to his needs, for he was
ex~avagant and wasteful to the last degree.
He secured the passage of a law that gave
him power to issue what were called 'pav
State treasury, which took precedence over
all other similar paper. Using the power
thus conferred, he poured the States money
forth upon his favorites, scarcely caring to
conceal the nature of his conduct. It is
estimated that nearly 100000 was ex-
pended in this thieving fashion. In
December, 1872, Moses was elected gov
ernor. This advancement was only
signal for increased boldness in his raid |
on the public treasure and a CORE
spending increase in the manner of his liv-
ing. He signed no bill without satisfac-
tory guild pro quo 1t is OF record that he
once refused to order the payment of a valid
was paid to him. He bought the Preston
mansion, finest in the South, and spent
100000 in improving it. He filled his
stables with fast horses, and his home with
every mark of magnifcence. Meanwhile
bis tastes led him into the vilest company.
To maintain his hold on the colored race he
pardoned every negro in the State peniten-
tiary. He bought a newspaper and at
tempted to pay for it with money feloniously
wrested from the State treasury. In this he
escaped arrest only by surrounding himself
by the State militia, and thus overawing the
sheriff.
With the expiration of his term of guber-
material office in 1874 came the beginning of
Moses downfall. His friends fell away as
his power of aiding them disappeared. He
retired from the office worth less than 500
For a number of years thereafter he vainly
besieged the state for various offices, but his
light was out. He went North; he returned
again after the death of his father, and begged
Of his friends another chance. His mother
sold small piece of property for few hun
bred dollars and gave him the proceeds, upon
his promise that he would 20 at once to
Texas and start anew. He went, but only
after he was gone was it discovered that he
had taken with him his mothers few re-
naming Jewels and trinkets For this he
was traced to New York and arrested, but
shortly afterward released. His wife pro
cured divorce, and he became wanderer
IN the face of the earth. Many a Northern
prison door has shut upon him since, for his :
,rimes grew worse as his exigencies increased.
IF what was good in him at the start-and :
here was much-he never regained whit !
The evil of his character expanded and as :
erted the mastery
He Thought Well of Himself.
Visitor-Are you papa's boy?
Sonny-Yes, sir.
Visitor-Are you mammals boy? c
Sonny-Yes, sir.
Visitor-But how can Won be papa's boy
nd nc IT the tina |